1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the art of electrical connectors, and more particularly to an land grid array (LGA) connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
One type of the LGA connectors 1′ is shown in FIG. 5 for electrically connecting an IC package (not shown) and a printed circuit board (not shown). The LGA connector 1′ typically includes an insulative housing 2′ of a generally rectangular shape, a plurality of conductive terminals 6′ held within the insulative housing 2′, a stiffener 3′ defining an opening 31′ for grasping a periphery edge of the insulative housing 2′, a pressing cover 5′ and a lever 4′ respectively attached to opposite ends of the stiffener 3′ for cooperatively providing a downward force towards the IC package on the insulative housing 2′ so as to effect a reliable interconnection between the IC package and the printed circuit board through the LGA connector 1′.
Typically, the insulative housing 2′ is attached to the stiffener 3′ by a plurality of tabs 23′ projecting out from a peripheral edge of the insulative housing 2′ that interferingly engages sidewalls of the stiffener 3′. A problem, however, with the LGA connector 1′ is that the stiffener 3′ is prone to be released from the insulative housing 2′ if an external, improper force is applied thereto. This is so because the tab 23′ of the insulative housing 2′ interferingly engages the sidewall of the stiffener 3′ by providing a planar surface, that is substantially parallel to that sidewall of the stiffener 3′. For most instances, parallel surfaces between two objects cannot form a reliable attachment therebetween. Therefore, this will often result in an un-reliable attachment between the insulative housing 2′ and the stiffener 3′. In brief, it is understood that the reason why the housing 2′ and the stiffener 3′ engage each other with interference fit in a somewhat floating manner is to allow the vertical relative movement therebetween under a condition that the housing 2′ is mounted to the printed circuit board via soldering between the contacts 6 and the printed circuit board, and the stiffener 3′ is mounted to the printed circuit board via the fastening screws (not shown) extending through the screw holes 33′. Anyhow, such a floating manner may result in drop-off of the housing from the stiffener during delivery. Thus, how to achieve a floating manner between the housing and the stiffener for not only allowing respective mounting of the housing and the stiffener to the printed circuit board but also preventing drop-off of the housing from the stiffener during shipping, is an object of the invention.